NORMAN, Okla. – James Alden (East Northport, N.Y.),
Parker Cumbea (Fuquay Varina, N.C.),
Evan Mendyk (Summerfield, N.C.), and
Andrew Perry (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) represented the Guilford College golf team, getting named 2024-25 NCAA Division III Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) on Tuesday afternoon.
In order to qualify for the honor, a golfer must be both an academic and athletic sophomore or higher for the 2024-25 season. On the course, they must compete in at minimum 50% of their team's competitive rounds, and at the NCAA Division III level, own a stroke average below 79.0. Academically, the student athlete must possess a cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2 or higher. Additionally, a recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at their college or university.
Competing and completing his fifth, and final, season of athletic eligibility in 2024-25, Alden experienced an up-and-down season for the Quakers although he did net All-ODAC Second Team recognition, making an all-conference team within the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) for the fourth-straight time. Competing in all nine of Guilford's "A-Team" events, Alden accrued 25 total rounds of golf this season recording a 72.9 (+1) average score. On his best days, Alden played like one of the nation's top players, notching one top-ten finish, completing the ODAC Championship as GC's top scorer, and registering 13 rounds with a par-or-better score, a figure that actually surpasses the total number of such rounds by teammate and PING/GCAA All-America Honorable Mention, Mendyk. However, unable to find consistency, or the spring surge that he experienced last season, the reigning ODAC Individual Champion's season ended following that event this year. Academically, Alden is putting the finishing touches on his MBA this summer and possesses a 3.27 grad GPA.
The second-of-three Quakers to play in all nine varsity events this year, Cumbea nets GCAA/Cobalt All-America Scholar honors for the second-straight season. Over his 25 rounds this year, the senior checked in with a 75.4 (+3) average score making him a consistent contributor within the Quaker lineup. A multi-time All-ODAC pick, he did miss the cut as a selection to one of the teams for the first time since his freshman season despite his steady play. Tied as GC's number-two finisher at the ODAC Championship, Cumbea recorded a trio of rounds at-or-below par this season. In the classroom, he completes his degree as a double-major in the Guilford Accounting and Business Administration programs with a 3.73 GPA.
Another second-time GCAA/Cobalt All-America Scholar, Mendyk collects yet another accolade to add to hardware-filled final season, and it is well-deserved for his work both on and off the course. The College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America National Ballot selection and PING/GCAA All-America Honorable Mention enjoyed a superb year that culminated in his selection as an individual at-large invitee to the Division-III Men's Golf NCAA Championship. Owning a 73.1 (+1) average round score over ten events and 27 rounds, he featured a dozen trips through the course in which he had a score of par-or-better. Additionally, he notched a trio of top-ten finishes with two of those being in the top-five, was at least tied as the top Quaker scorer on four occasions, and was the team's best or second-best scorer in eight of GC's nine events. Although he slumped at the wrong time, resulting in a difficult conclusion to the season for the graduate student, it remains a standout season in program history with his average score standing as a top-20 mark in the program's storied history. The ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Mendyk finished his degree in analytics early, posting a 3.79 GPA and is now in the MBA program where he has a 3.73 GPA.
It was an impressive first season in Greensboro for the final Quaker honoree, as Perry swiftly cracked the GC lineup and posted a really solid first year for the cardinal and grey. Transferring in from Division-II Coker University, the sophomore experienced some ebbs-and-flows, but his season overall can be considered a resounding success. Over 22 rounds, he posted a 74.7 (+2) average score and was tied as Guilford's number-two scorer at the ODAC Championship. Impressive at the Savannah Invitational at which he recorded a cumulative par score and tie for 12
th in the player standings, Perry posted six rounds at-or-below an even score, a figure that trails just Alden and Mendyk for the team lead. He was equally impressive academically, where he posted a 3.54 GPA in the Guilford Business Administration program.
#GoQuakes